N.A. Berdyaev’s “Russian Idea”: the experience of analyzing its structure

Abstract

This article presents an thorough analysis of the structure, key themes, and plots of N.A. Berdyaev’s The Russian Idea (1946). The author demonstrates that the text’s seemingly non-academic nature is combined not only with a rigorous structure but also with a clearly defined subject and method of research, making The Russian Idea appealing to both a general readership and professionals. It is shown that Berdyaev’s laconic and vivid formulations in¬vite a benevolent interpretation based on a hermeneutic of trust, without attempting to expose the author to contradictions. On the contrary, external contradictions are interpreted in the article as symptoms of internal, spiritual tension. Through contradictions, the tension in thought becomes visible and conscious, and it receives an increasingly differentiated description not only through clarification within the same framework but also through the inclusion of other themes. At the center of The Russian Idea is the hermeneutics of 19th-century Russian thought, understood by Berdyaev, on the one hand, as a time of relatively complete development of Russian spiritual aspirations, and on the other, as a completed, coherent stage of spiritual life. The eight central chapters of this work present a consistent examination (largely using the same texts and figures) of the fundamental “themes” of Russian thought. It is concluded that Berdyaev’s so-called “paradoxicalism” is largely determined by the Russian philosopher’s specific writing style, namely, its dynamic nature. The fact that he uses philosophical “themes” as a key compositional element in The Russian Idea is not accidental; rather, he does so in order to make his research musical in nature, the themes can be compared with those in musical compositions.